Business concerned by labour issues

Johannesburg - Businesses are increasingly concerned about labour issues in South Africa, according to a survey of SA Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Sacci) members released on Thursday.

"Members cited the skills shortage and the potential for job creation as most concerning," said Sacci president Chose Choeu in a statement.

He said members were also concerned about proposed labour law amendments and continued calls by trade unions to ban labour brokers even though these issues were now being negotiated at the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac).

"The strike action currently being experienced as well as strikes that are threatening are also a contributing factor."

Several trade unions, representing about 170 000 workers in the metal and engineering sector, started a countrywide strike on Monday.

On Wednesday, the National Union of Mineworkers said its members in the gold sector were ready to strike, should negotiations with the Chamber of Mines fail to yield results.

The Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood and Allied Workers' Union, the National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union and workers in the finance sector were also threatening to down tools.

"Increased wage and administrative costs associated with significantly above inflation wage demands by unions, will later be passed on to consumers and may have the consequence of reduced employment," said Choeu.

Sacci would hold a meeting on July 13 to discuss labour issues, including the role of Setas in technical skills training, the experiences of other countries in skills development, the job creation objectives of the New Growth Path, youth employment, and the National Planning Commission's diagnostic document.

Comments

Theoniel Bosman
-
2011-07-07 12:46

The Society the "New Rainbow Goverment" created

rdnkbr
-
2011-07-07 13:07

Have you ever been to P&P (Faerie Glen) and seen how the staff stand around talking, there are more staff than customers. Try shopping there you will see, the staff stand in the aisles talking, you have to walk around them, no respect for the customer. They deserve what they get.

MC2010
-
2011-07-07 14:39

COSATO please take note. There is nothing being done in SA to stimulate job creation. All your efforts are creating a business case for the implemention of systems and procedures that lowers head count.

Freddie
-
2011-07-07 15:27

@rdnkbr - I had the same experience at Checkers in Fourways Mall, having to walk around wekkas' too busy being amorous with each other to even notice customers trying to shop around them. It seems to be a national tendency, bring on the retrenchments!

kaspri
-
2011-08-04 07:03

"Increased wage and administrative costs associated with significantly above inflation wage demands by unions, will later be passed on to consumers and may have the consequence of reduced employment," Not only this - the damaging effects of the strikes will actually end up costing everybody, including the strikers, much much more that what they have gained so they end up worse off in the end - only the union bosses make money out of inciting labour unrest!